Chicagoland Soccer Final 50 state ranking
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Metea Valley fielded its original girls’ soccer team in the spring of 2011.
Roughly a decade later, the Mustangs are the best around in the ecstatic and emotionally draining aftermath of their riveting shootout victory over Barrington in the Class 3A state championship game Saturday at North Central College.
Metea Valley had never won a state championship in any sport until the girls volleyball team won the Class 4A state title last November.
Now girls soccer provides the perfect bookend with a telling and remarkable achievement.
With its top three scoring stars returning, juniors Tyra King and Jordan Lange, and sophomore Lucy Burk, the Mustangs are going to be among the top teams in any list of the state’s best clubs in 2023.
Adding to its achievements, Metea Valley earns the top spot in the Final 50, Chicagoland Soccer’s exclusive statewide poll of the best teams in the state.
“I knew it from the start,” Lange said. “Right when we had our first practices, I just thought about how amazing our team was.
“Everybody contributed, and we had so much to put into it.”
May is the crucible for girls’ soccer. On May 3, Metea Valley gave a dominant preview by beating historic power Naperville North 3-1 in DuPage Valley Conference play.
The game came just days after the Huskies beat Barrington in double overtime to capture the Naperville Invitational, the state’s most difficult and competitive in-season tournament.
Interestingly, Barrington coach Ryan Stengren cited the Fillies play there as their moment of reckoning and the deeper realization of what his team was capable of.
Metea Valley broke from the shadows of the always strong DuPage Valley Conference into the limelight.
“We always knew we were capable of it,” Metea Valley coach Chris Whaley said. “I think it became a little bit more believable when we beat North on their field.
“We just created some momentum from that and ran with it.”
Speaking of bookends, the closing paragraphs of the First 50 introduction published on March 13 focused on Class AA.
Divisional power Triad made history with its back-to-back state titles. In the First 50, we pointed out it appeared inevitable that Triad and Benet would meet somewhere along the state tournament path after the Redwings were pushed back down to AA.
Benet beat Triad in the state semifinals during its state championship run in 2019.
Sure enough, the teams played again Saturday, with Triad gaining revenge with the 1-0 victory.
In Class A, held the previous week at North Central College, Notre Dame (Quincy) won its sixth state championship with a 1-0 victory over Richmond-Burton.
The Final 50 poll is a fusion of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, which ranks the best teams in and around Chicago, with the Illinois 10, which ranks the best outside of our coverage area.
To understand the coding, the 50 teams are ranked in order. Also listed are the final regular season rank (RS) and the First 50 preseason rank (PR).
NR means the team was not ranked in that poll. HM, which only applies to Chicago-area schools, refers to the group of 15 squads listed in the honorable mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
For the teams that were ranked in the Illinois 10 poll, the letter I accompanies the final regular-season and preseason ranks.
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-Preseason First 50 rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Metea Valley fielded its original girls’ soccer team in the spring of 2011.
Roughly a decade later, the Mustangs are the best around in the ecstatic and emotionally draining aftermath of their riveting shootout victory over Barrington in the Class 3A state championship game Saturday at North Central College.
Metea Valley had never won a state championship in any sport until the girls volleyball team won the Class 4A state title last November.
Now girls soccer provides the perfect bookend with a telling and remarkable achievement.
With its top three scoring stars returning, juniors Tyra King and Jordan Lange, and sophomore Lucy Burk, the Mustangs are going to be among the top teams in any list of the state’s best clubs in 2023.
Adding to its achievements, Metea Valley earns the top spot in the Final 50, Chicagoland Soccer’s exclusive statewide poll of the best teams in the state.
“I knew it from the start,” Lange said. “Right when we had our first practices, I just thought about how amazing our team was.
“Everybody contributed, and we had so much to put into it.”
May is the crucible for girls’ soccer. On May 3, Metea Valley gave a dominant preview by beating historic power Naperville North 3-1 in DuPage Valley Conference play.
The game came just days after the Huskies beat Barrington in double overtime to capture the Naperville Invitational, the state’s most difficult and competitive in-season tournament.
Interestingly, Barrington coach Ryan Stengren cited the Fillies play there as their moment of reckoning and the deeper realization of what his team was capable of.
Metea Valley broke from the shadows of the always strong DuPage Valley Conference into the limelight.
“We always knew we were capable of it,” Metea Valley coach Chris Whaley said. “I think it became a little bit more believable when we beat North on their field.
“We just created some momentum from that and ran with it.”
Speaking of bookends, the closing paragraphs of the First 50 introduction published on March 13 focused on Class AA.
Divisional power Triad made history with its back-to-back state titles. In the First 50, we pointed out it appeared inevitable that Triad and Benet would meet somewhere along the state tournament path after the Redwings were pushed back down to AA.
Benet beat Triad in the state semifinals during its state championship run in 2019.
Sure enough, the teams played again Saturday, with Triad gaining revenge with the 1-0 victory.
In Class A, held the previous week at North Central College, Notre Dame (Quincy) won its sixth state championship with a 1-0 victory over Richmond-Burton.
The Final 50 poll is a fusion of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, which ranks the best teams in and around Chicago, with the Illinois 10, which ranks the best outside of our coverage area.
To understand the coding, the 50 teams are ranked in order. Also listed are the final regular season rank (RS) and the First 50 preseason rank (PR).
NR means the team was not ranked in that poll. HM, which only applies to Chicago-area schools, refers to the group of 15 squads listed in the honorable mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
For the teams that were ranked in the Illinois 10 poll, the letter I accompanies the final regular-season and preseason ranks.
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-Preseason First 50 rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
| Rank | FRSR | PR | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 30 | Metea Valley | 22 | 2 | 1 | 3A champs unbeaten in Illinois |
| 2 | 4 | 10 | Barrington | 23 | 3 | 0 | 5th-straight state finals appearance |
| 3 | 3 | 6 | Naperville N | 19 | 3 | 3 | Naperville invite title, sectional finalist |
| 4 | 1 | 4 | Lyons | 20 | 2 | 0 | Sectional final upset ended run |
| 5 | 21 | NR | L-W Central | 25 | 2 | 0 | 3A 3rd place, 21 shutouts |
| 6 | 5 | 12 | Evanston | 21 | 4 | 1 | 3A 4th, earned 2nd state trophy |
| 7 | 10 | 2 | Libertyville | 17 | 4 | 2 | Magical run ends in supersectional |
| 8 | 8 | 16 | Glenbrook N | 20 | 2 | 1 | Margy Porta led the way |
| 9 | 6 | 5 | Naperville C | 15 | 3 | 1 | Ed Watson ends legendary career |
| 10 | 7 | 27 | Oswego E | 18 | 3 | 0 | Historic season for the Wolves |
| 11 | I1 | 1 | Triad | 25 | 1 | 0 | Back-to-back AA champs |
| 12 | 13 | 11 | Benet | 22 | 5 | 1 | Mariana Pinto led AA runnerup |
| 13 | I2 | 3 | O’Fallon | 20 | 2 | 0 | Edwardsville stunned in sectional semi |
| 14 | 14 | 41 | Deerfield | 23 | 4 | 2 | 3rd place AA finish for electric Warriors |
| 15 | 11 | 8 | Loyola | 18 | 5 | 1 | Grace Ehler led memorable senior group |
| 16 | NR | 34 | Edwardsville | 15 | 8 | 0 | Finished season on 12-2-0 run |
| 17 | 12 | 17 | SC North | 19 | 3 | 0 | Perfect record in DuKane Conference |
| 18 | 20 | 18 | SC East | 20 | 5 | 2 | Saints make 2nd-straight supersectional |
| 19 | 17 | NR | Maine S | 17 | 6 | 1 | Molly Pistorius scored 44 goals |
| 20 | 9 | 19 | Stevenson | 16 | 3 | 1 | Patriots captured North Suburban crown |
| 21 | 19 | NR | Plainfield N | 16 | 4 | 4 | Played 2 great games vs. Metea Valley |
| 22 | HM | NR | Glenbard W | 15 | 7 | 1 | Emmie Roberts led supersectional push |
| 23 | 23 | 7 | New Trier | 12 | 8 | 5 | Trevians came of age |
| 24 | 15 | 22 | Lane | 14 | 5 | 1 | Captured 7th-straight city title |
| 25 | 16 | 23 | Young | 13 | 8 | 3 | Koleno twins epitomized class, grace |
| 26 | HM | 32 | Fremd | 12 | 7 | 3 | Late-season surge for sectional qualifier |
| 27 | 18 | 9 | Warren | 12 | 4 | 4 | Injuries undermined promising run |
| 28 | 24 | NR | WW South | 13 | 5 | 3 | Meghan Economos powered sectional qualifier |
| 29 | NR | NR | Fenwick | 13 | 8 | 2 | Kate Henige led AA 4th place finish |
| 30 | I3 | NR | Waterloo | 19 | 5 | 1 | Only team to beat Triad in 2 seasons |
| 31 | NR | 44 | ND (Quincy) | 23 | 3 | 3 | Champion in A won 6th title |
| 32 | I5 | 14 | Althoff | 21 | 6 | 2 | 2021 A champ lost in super PKs |
| 33 | I8 | 43 | Dunlap | 19 | 3 | 3 | Sam Cenek powered AA super qualifier |
| 34 | I6 | NR | Boylan | 19 | 2 | 0 | Lost shootout in AA supersectional |
| 35 | I4 | 15 | Glenwood | 20 | 4 | 0 | Losses to Triad, Metea Valley |
| 36 | 25 | NR | CL Central | 16 | 3 | 0 | AA sectional finalist displayed poise |
| 37 | I7 | NR | Alton | 17 | 5 | 0 | One of best teams in Deep South |
| 38 | HM | NR | Batavia | 13 | 7 | 1 | GK Aubrey Hahn anchored sectional qualifier |
| 39 | HM | NR | Prospect | 15 | 5 | 1 | Great games vs. Barrington, Libertyville |
| 40 | 22 | NR | Carmel | 12 | 6 | 1 | Anna Hartman led brilliant soph class |
| 41 | NR | NR | Richmnd-B | 23 | 2 | 1 | Historic run for A runnerup |
| 42 | NR | NR | Lockport | 16 | 7 | 1 | Karolina Stasik an elite scorer |
| 43 | NR | NR | Rochester | 15 | 7 | 2 | Got hot at the right time |
| 44 | NR | NR | Lemont | 19 | 5 | 0 | Suzie Knutte led AA sectional final run |
| 45 | NR | NR | DeLaSalle | 21 | 4 | 0 | Won program's 1st sectional |
| 46 | HM | NR | Morton (B-C) | 17 | 6 | 0 | Mustangs moved out of boys’ shadow |
| 47 | HM | 24 | Neuqua V | 7 | 8 | 3 | Joe Moreau ends historic career with late flourish |
| 48 | NR | NR | Dundee-Cr | 15 | 6 | 0 | Berkley Mensik led 3A sectional finalist |
| 49 | NR | 46 | Bartlett | 11 | 9 | 2 | Tessa Evans led 2nd half charge |
| 50 | NR | 45 | Glenbard E | 15 | 6 | 1 | Maia Zatarski had stellar career |